The 7 Most Expensive Space Missions of All Time

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Space research has always been risky and expensive. With those hurdles notwithstanding, most of the world's nations have undertaken strings of space missions one after another. Notably leading these endeavors are the United States, Russia, China, Japan, and India. Involving years of planning with precision, harnessing state-of-the-art technology, and high economic investment, only then will the mysteries of space unfold. Some were successfully carried out, while there are some that simply ended up as failures, meaning losses running into billions of dollars. Here is an article that outlines the seven costliest space missions so far.

1. Space Shuttle Program

  • Budget: $209 billion USD
  • Agency: NASA and the U.S. Air Force
  • Duration: 1972–2011
  • Current Status: Completed
The costliest space mission ever attempted by humankind is the United States Space Shuttle Program. First initiated in 1972, this NASA program, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, used reusable spacecraft to ferry astronauts and satellites into space. The first space shuttle, Columbia, was launched on April 12, 1981. It ended in 2011 after many missions into space, greatly helping our knowledge of space and proving the concept of reusability of spacecraft.

2. International Space Station (ISS)

  • Budget: $160 billion USD
  • Agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, CSA
  • Duration: 1998–Present
  • Current Status: Active

The International Space Station was launched in the year 1998 as a joint project financed by several nations. NASA from the USA, Roscosmos from Russia, JAXA from Japan, ESA from Europe, and CSA from Canada are in partnership with the ISS orbiting at around 400 kilometers from Earth's surface. The ISS is meant for scientific research and experimentation purposes under microgravity conditions. Since November 2000, astronauts have continuously been on board the ISS. It will be decommissioned by the year 2031.

3. Apollo Program

  • Budget: $25.8 billion USD
  • Agency: NASA
  • Duration: 1961–1972
  • Current Status: Completed

The Apollo Program was the historic attempt through which man took his first steps on the Moon. Under this program, astronauts landed on the Moon six times. The program also saw some very unfortunate events, like the Apollo 1 mission of 1967, in which three astronauts lost their lives in a fire. NASA then stepped up the security measures, which resulted in the 1969 Moon landing mission: Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins orbited them above. The program ended in 1972 with Apollo 17 after gathering approximately 382 kilograms of lunar samples.

4. Space Launch System (SLS)

  • Budget: $23.8 billion USD
  • Agency: NASA
  • Duration: 2011–Present
  • Current Status: Active

Launched in 2011 as the successor to the Space Shuttle Program, the Space Launch System is designed to carry astronauts, scientific instruments, and heavy payloads into Earth's lower orbit and beyond. This ambitious project marks NASA's continued efforts to push the boundaries of space exploration, laying the groundwork for future missions to the Moon and Mars.

5. Orion Spacecraft

  • Budget: $20.4 billion USD
  • Agency: NASA
  • Duration: 2014–Present
  • Current Status: Under Construction

Orion is a spacecraft designed to take astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since 1972. As part of NASA's Artemis Program, Orion will serve as a key vehicle for human exploration of the Moon, Mars, and even asteroids in the future. Although the budget was officially approved in 2014, work on the spacecraft began in 2011. Once operational, it will pave the way for humanity’s return to deep space exploration.

6. Global Positioning System (GPS)

  • Budget: $12 billion USD
  • Agency: United States Air Force
  • Duration: 1978–Present
  • Current Status: Active

GPS—Global Positioning System—this refers to a constellation of satellites. Owned by the United States Space Force, it's operated by Mission Delta 31, a unit belonging to the force. Many regard this satellite system because it enables accurate tracking and navigation along roads, routes, and even positions held by people. Google Maps is dependent on the positioning data coming from GPS, as are many other direction or location services. While the system cost $12 billion to build, it costs approximately $1.84 billion a year to maintain (as of 2023).

7. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

  • Budget: $10 billion USD
  • Agencies: NASA, ESA, CSA
  • Duration: 2021–Present
  • Current Status: Active

The James Webb Space Telescope is a worldwide project operated by NASA, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Exploring the unknown regions of the universe, it continues to search for the light that first appeared after the Big Bang. It has already contributed much to studies of space, astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. This telescope keeps sending back the most incredible data, redefining our understanding of the cosmos each new day.

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